When your medical records become part of the painting.
Berlin-based artist Erika Clugston turns a deeply personal medical journey into a series of colourful oil paintings.
After undergoing two major hip surgeries and months of rehabilitation, Erika began painting in response to her experience. Medical documents, journal entries, X-rays and notes found their way into the work, becoming part of the paintings themselves.
Bodies appear fragmented, folded, stretched and sometimes almost impossible to recognise. Bright greens, blues, pinks and oranges make the paintings feel vibrant, even when what they’re talking about is pain, recovery and everything the body goes through behind the scenes.
What we really like is the tension between the beauty of the paintings and the reality behind them. Erika doesn’t try to make pain look pretty, but she does turn it into something tangible, expressive and completely her own.
Because sometimes your body has a story to tell, and apparently it can paint it better than your medical file ever could. ♡
Scroll through Erika’s work below.
view more: www.erikaclugston.com – @erikaclugston
